Ardenia Gould
Black Women Are The Fastest-Growing Group of Gun Owners
Updated: Nov 18, 2022
In recent years, there's been a significant increase in the number of black women who own firearms. In fact, black women are now the fastest-growing group of gun owners in the United States. For many black women, owning a gun is about more than just self-defense; it's also a way to reclaim their power and agency. In a country that has long treated them as second-class citizens, black women are using guns to take control of their lives and create safer communities for themselves and their families.

Did you know?
Groups such as My Sister's Keeper Defense and the National African American Gun Association (which has over 45,000 members) are two leading organizations catering to a growing number of Black women gun owners.
Rising crime rates, distrust of law enforcement and an increase in violent extremist groups are the primary reasons Black women are arming themselves.
There's no denying that Black women have good reason to be concerned for their safety. In recent years, we've seen a sharp increase in crime rates, and a corresponding distrust of law enforcement. At the same time, violent extremist groups have become more active, and their targets seem to be Black women specifically. It's no wonder, then, that more and more Black women are taking steps to arm themselves.
Of course, carrying a weapon comes with its own risks. But for many Black women, the sense of protection and empowerment that comes from being armed is worth the risk. After all, we live in a world where violence against Black women is all too common. And in a society that often fails to protect us, sometimes the only way to feel safe is to take matters into our own hands.
Black women find sisterhood and camaraderie in self-defense groups and increasingly turn to them for safety and support.
Being a woman is hard enough, but being a black woman comes with its own unique set of challenges. From micro-aggressions to outright violence, black women have long been targeted simply for existing in the world. In response, many black women have joined self-defense groups as a way to protect themselves and their sisters. These groups provide a safe space for black women to connect with others who understand their experiences. They offer support and sisterhood in a world that often feels hostile. In addition, they provide practical self-defense training that can help black women defend themselves if they are ever attacked. For many black women, self-defense groups are a vital source of community and support.